Defence of the hadith

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Following is some excerption of what he stated in his precious book al-Fitnah al-kubra, the 2nd volume, under the chapter "Ali wa banuh" (Ali and his sons), when discussing the Battle of Siffin.331
The least thing indicated by the historians' shunning the Saba'ites and Ibn al-Sawda' in the Battle of Siffin, being that their affair was only superficially imposed and lean, with being lately innovated when controversy heated between the Shi`ah and other Islamic sects. That was when the Shi'ah opponents intended to foist a Jewish element into this (Shi'i) madhhab, vigorously in teasing and defaming them. Had the claim of Ibn al Sawda' been based on even one foundation of truth and reliable history it would have been natural to see its impact when Ali's companions differed regarding the issue of government, and also in particular in forming this new party, which was averse to reconciliation, charging with impiety anyone inclining to it or taking part in it.
But no reference was made to Ibn al-Sawda' when mentioning the Khawarij. How can this negligence be explained? Or what reason we can give for ignorance of Ibn Saba' to the Battle of Siffin and establishment of the Court Party? On my part, I explain both the cases with one reason, being that Ibn al-Sawda' was nothing but an imaginary character... and had he actually existed, he was not of that danger portrayed by the historians, who illustrated his activities too during the reign of Uthman and first year of Ali's caliphate! In fact he was a person reserved by the Shi'ah alone not for the Khawarij... etc.
Following is a sample of this craft in regard of a critical matter through which the Islamic history changed its course: 331. See pp.98, 99.
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Ka'b and Mu'awiyah:
I have stated before332 that Umar ibn al-Khattab forbade Ka'b al-Ahbar from narrating hadith, threatening him with exile should he relate any of his Jewish traditions (Israeliyyat), or what he used to claim as being reported from the Prophet (S) after taking notice of his deceit and evil intention. As a consequence to this threat, no alternative was left before Ka'b but to surrender unwillingly and angrily. Then he started to work stealthily for attaining the purposes for which he embraced Islam, finding no access to this but through getting rid of this violent rock impeding his way, and preventing him from reaching his goal. So soon it was opportune that chance of the plot hatched by an underground society to murder Umar, in which he collaborated, fanning its fire!
With murder of Umar, he felt free and safe, giving the reins to himself to disseminate whatever the Jewish deception would let him, of the superstitions and Jewish fabricated traditions that spoiled and defamed religion, aided in this task by his senior disciples like: Abd Allah ibn `Amr, Abd Allah ibn Umar and Abu Hurayrah.
He was not sufficed with that, nor content with seeing no opponent to his plans, or to find through Muslims' negligence and aid of rulers someone to listen to or appreciate his fabricated traditions. Rather, he kept on his cunning seizing every opportunity to direct to Islam one of his malicious stabs.
We suffice here with citing only one example for this case: When fires of riot erupted during the last days of Uthman's reign, and heated up till causing murder of Uthman inside his house, this crafty priest never missed this chance, rushing to fan its flames and contributing with his Jewish stratagem as much as he could. Among the deceit he added to this sedition, was his claim that caliphate after Uthman would go to Mu`awiyah! 332. See section on this subject in this book.
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Wukay' reported from al-A‘mash, from Abu Salih,333 that a singer was chanting in regard of Uthman saying:
The emir after him shall be Ali,
And al-Zubayr has a pleasant morality.
Threat Ka'b al-Ahbar said: Never, but he (the emir) will be verily the owner of the gray she-mule! (meaning Mu'awiyah), as he used to see him riding a she-mule. On hearing this, Mu'awiyah came to him saying: O Abu Ishaq, what for do you utter this! while Ali and al-Zubayr and Companions of Muhammad (S) are present here! He (Ka'b) said: You are verily its (real) owner. He might have added by saying: I found this (recorded) in the first book!!
In recognition of this favour, Mu'awiyah started to overwhelm Ka'b with his kindness. From history of this priest, it is learnt that during the era of Uthman he moved to the Sham, living under care of Mu'awiyah, who brought him nearer, making him among his favourites, for narrating as many falsities and Jewish traditions as he could in support of him (Mu`awiyah) and reinforcing pillars of his rule. In al-Isabah Ibn Hajar al-Asqallani reported that it was Mu'awiyah who ordered Ka'b to relate tales in the Sham.334 Sufficient be the aforementioned traditions, and the narrations he falsified in respect of preferring the Sham and its people.335
Our wonder is raised when knowing that these Israeliyyat are still nowadays believed and rather sanctified by some people. When enlightening and asking those people to give them less importance, some of contemporary knowledge claimants, particularly the grandsons and flatterers of the Umayyads, would rise and object us, giving reins to themselves in slandering and abusing us, out of bigotry and idiocy. 333. Al-Maqrizi in Treatise: Al-Niza' wa al-takhasum fima bayna Bani Umayyah wa Bani Hashim, p.51.
334. See Vol.V, p.323.
335. See p.171 and following pages of this book (Arabic).
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This was only one example we cited, of Ka'b’s standpoints with Mu`awiyah in particular, and the misfortunes that befell Islam due to his stratagem and cunning in general. All this was due to the fact that Ali was the cousin of the Prophet (S) for whom these priests prepared and amassed all their might and forces to combat and fight his Shari'ah. Had I intended to cover all the stratagem and evil intended by this priest against Islam and Muslims, this would have required me to dedicate a separate full book, as I did in regard of his most eminent disciple Abu Hurayrah.336
We should never forget that Ali used to say about Ka'b that he was verily a liar.337 336. Refer to my book Shaykh al-mudirah.
337. Refer to section: "Companions Belie Ka'b".


Masihiyyat in Hadith
(Hadith of Jassasah, of Satan's stabbing all mankind except Jesus and his mother — Ibn Jarih)
If the Israeliyyat distorted the splendour of Islam through their fabricated falsities, the Masihiyyat too had a share of the misfortune that afflicted this religion. The first one undertaking the lead of these Masihiyyat was Tamim ibn Aws al-Dari, who was a Yemeni Christian. His abode with his tribe was in the Sham opposite to Palestine. He came to the Prophet (S) and embraced Islam after the Battle of Tabuk in the year 9H.
Abu Mu'aym says: He was the monk of his time people, and devout among the Palestinians. He was the first to tack the saddle, and the first to relate (tales). He kept the company of the Prophet (S) and took part in his battles. He stayed long in al-Madinah till shifting to the Sham after murder of Uthman.338 He died during the caliphate of Ali in 40 H.
He used to relate narrations and tales of Jassasah, dajjal (impostor), Iblis, death angel and heavens and fire, spreading these narrations everywhere, as done by his likes: Ka'b al-Ahbar and Wahb ibn Munabbih. No wonder to see Islam penetrated by the Masihiyyat after being invaded by the Israeliyyat, as it was blemished with different things from every religion and every creed. But it is out of scope here to elucidate all the blemishes foisted into Islam from other cults and creeds, as a full book is needed to cover them. 338. What is worth attention and pondering, the fact that all this Jew and Christian priests had moved, after murder of Uthmanj, to the Sham. This shift seems not to be for God's sake but with the aim of collaboration together to sow discord and sparkle fire of grudge among the Muslims, so as to make the Umayyad state flourish, and disperse the Muslims, with gaining the booties from the Umayyads, after that.
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Hadith of Jassasah:
Among the Masihiyyat stated by Tamim al-Dari to the Prophet (S), we can refer to the story of Jassasah, and that of the impostor, with that of descension of Jesus, and others.
In regard of the hadith of Jassasah, it is reported by Muslim339 in his Sahib from contradictory ways and chains. Hereunder its text as reported from Fatimah bint Qays, the sister of al-Dahhak ibn Qays, who was among the first immigrants.
After gathering people, the Messenger of Allah (S) said: By God, I have never gathered you out of desire,or dread, but because Tamim al-Dari340 was a Christian man, who came, swore allegiance and embraced Islam. He told me that he boarded a sea ship with thirty men from Lakhm and Jadham. Then they became the sport of the waves for one month, after which they landed at an island, staying there until sunset. On entering the island, they encountered a hirsute hairy mount, whose forepart could not be distinguished from the backside, when they said: Woe to you, what are you? It said: I am al-Jassasah. Then it advised them to look at a man inside the convent, pointing to him. On going into the convent, they met the greatest man in nature, and firmest in fetters, with his hands tied together to his neck, between his knees up to the heels, with iron chains. When he recognized them to be among the Arabs, he layed before them numerous questions, for which they gave answers. Then he said to them: Tell me what has the Prophet of illiterate done? They said: He departed Mecca and settled down in Yathrib. He asked: Have the Arabs fought him? They replied: Yea. He said: What has he done to them? They told him that he had overcome whoever came close to him from among the Arabs, and they obeyed him. He said: I apprise you about myself. I am Jesus (Messias) and I am about341 to be permitted to rise out, when I will 339. See Vol.I, p.520.
340. He and his brother Nu'aym came to al-Madinah in 59 H. and embraced Islam, as stated before.
"The geographers are requested to search for this island and recognize its place in the sea! and inform us then so as to see the oddities contained in it, about which we are told by - our master - Tamim al-Dari, may God be pleased with him!
341. This imminence is about the year 9 H., while we are now in the year 1386, without seeing the face of this Messias, or sensing any trace of him!!
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go out... I will proceed on earth for forty days, through which I shall enter every and each village I pass by, other than Mecca and Tibah as they are both forbidden for me. Whenever I intended to enter any of them, I will be received by an angel holding in his hand an unsheathed sword to restrain me from (entering) it.
After stating this, he thrusted the messenger with his wand, on the pulpit saying: This is Tibah, this is Tibah, this is Tibah, meaning al-Madinah.
Abu Hurayrah never missed this report without foisting it with a breath of his oddities. So he narrated that between the two horns of al-Jassasah there was a distance of one parasang for the rider!
I came across a comment on this hadith by al-Allamah al-Sayyid Rashid Rida (may God's mercy be upon him), as follows: About hadith of Jassasah which is related by Tamim al-Dari to the Messenger of Allah and recorded by Muslim in his Sahih through chains contradicting each other in respect of its text, it can be said that this difference in the text was caused by some narrators mentioned in the Sahih, and it can't be taken as caused by multiplicity of story.342
Further, can the narration of Tamim al Dari to the Messenger — if its chain be free from defects — make the hadith supplementary to what the Prophet (S) uttered of his own accord, so as to determine the veracity of its origin in accordance with his (S) permission or approval of an act, as indicated by his warrant and permission? Apparently this qiyas (analogy) is out of scope here, and the Prophet had no knowledge of the unseen, as he — like common people — used to hold speech of people to be true, when no suspicion being raised against it. Most often he believed the traditions related by even the hypocrites and disbelievers, the fact indicated by the hadith of Arinayn343 and people of Ma'unah well. In fact he could recognize the falsity 342. He is referring by this to the making of the men of hadith, who when finding any difference in the text of any hadith would immediately estimate the plurality of the event on which the hadith was said, thinking that by this they managed to unite the knot of contradiction.
343. Hadith of 'Ariniyyin is thus: Some people from Akal and Arinah came to al-Madinah, approaching to the Prophet, saying to him: O Prophet of God, we were herders of sheep not villagers, so would you give us shelter and food. And they found al-Madinah unhealthy for them, so the Prophet ordered to provide them with cattle and a shepherd and commanded them to go out and drink from their milk. Then they set out, till reaching the district of al-Hirah, where they converted disbelievers after em

bracing Islam, killing the shepherd sent with them by the Prophet, driving the cattle with them. When the Prophet heard of their practices, he sent after them some men, and when capturing them he gave his orders to amputate their hands and legs and forsake them alone in al-Hirah, where they died on this condition. In regard of the people of the Well of Ma'unah it is said: Some magnates of Ra'l, Dhakwan, 'Usayyah and Banu Lihyan came to the Prophet (S) and claimed that they embraced Islam, seeking his support against their people. So he provided them with seventy of the Ansar, when they went away with them till reaching the well of Ma'unah, when they betrayed and killed them. When the Prophet heard of their doing, he kept for one month invoking God against people of Ra'I, Dhakwan and Banu Lihyan.

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of some liars through wahy (revelation), or some ways of test, or reporting by trustworthy people, and the like ways of human knowledge. It is known that the prophets could be distinguished from ordinary people through revelation and ismah (infallibility) against telling lies. And revelation was not to be sent down but with matters related to religion, and da`wah (invitation) to it, with safeguarding it and the man who brought it, beside the fact that to believe the liar is not the same as telling lie. It is sufficient to meditate in this section (bab) admonition from Allah to His Messenger, due to his granting permission to some of the hypocrites who asked him to exempt them from taking part in the Battle of Tabuk, and the justification he gave for this, through saying to him: God forgive thee (O Our Apostle!) Why didst thou give them leave (to stay behind) until it was manifest unto thee who spake the truth, and thou hadst known the liars. (9:43)
When the prophets and messengers are allowed to believe the liar in some matters that neither breach the Din, nor entail a legal rule, or anything inconsistent with the position of message, isn't it permissible for others to believe the liar in every report that no evidence is there to prove its containing any falsity? Whoever believes anything can relate it to any other person without ascribing it to that from whom he heard.344
About descension of Jesus from the heaven and reappearance of al-Dajjal and al-Mahdi345 he said:
Many traditions about descension of Jesus are reported in the two Sahihs and Sunan and other books, most of which are cited about the last hour (end of time) and mixed with the traditions of al-Dajjal, in which and in the traditions on al-Mahdi (A), there is much confusion, difference and contradiction. Out of them altogether, it is apparent that among the Jews a dajjal (impostor), and rather the biggest impostor ever known throughout the 344. Al-Manar Journal, Vol.XIX, pp.99, 100.
345. Ibid., Vol.XXIII, p.756.
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history of nations, will appear and claim to be Jesus that is awaited by the Jews. At that time a large number of people will be tempted by him. At the end of his epoch, Messias, Jesus the son of Mary, shall appear, with his descension being at the white Minaret, east of Damascus. Then he will meet the impostor Messias at the Lidd Gate in Palestine, where the real Messias will kill the impostor Jesus346 after a long war between the Muslims and Jews. And most of the Christians had a strong belief in the descension of Jesus, and they tried all the time, from advent of Islam till the present time, to disseminate it among the Muslims. Wahb ibn Munabbih, the second pillar after Ka'b al-Ahbar, was among those who tried this through inserting it into exegesis, with the aim of distorting tafsir of the Qur'an through the superstitions he spread.

Hadith of Satan's Defaming All Sons of Adam Except Jesus
and Mother.
Among the Masihiyyat traditions, it can be referred to the hadith reported by al-Bukhari on the authority of Abu Hurayrah that the Prophet said: "The Satan verily stabs every human being in the waist in time of birth, except Jesus the son of Mary, whom he tried to stab but he (Satan) stabbed the cover.” In another narration he said: I heard the Messenger of Allah saying: No son of Adam shall be born unless that he should be afflicted (touched) by the Satan at the hour of birth, when he initiates his life crying out of the Satan's touch, except Maryam and her son."
Yet in another narration: The Satan afflicts every son of Adam at the time of birth, except Jesus, son of Mary and his mother. Allah made a veil to prevent the stab, which hit the veil and missed them!
Muslim reported it thus: "...except the prick of the Satan", and... 346. It is reported in the 2nd bab of the 2nd letter sent by Paul to the people of Tsalouniqi, and the 19th bab of al-Mushahadat, that Jesus will kill the Dajjal, (Izhar al-haqq, Vol.II, p.191).
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"unless that he should initiate his life (crying) because of the prick of the Satan." What we get of this hadith, which this honourable Companion heard from the Messenger, being that, the Satan stabs or pricks every son of Adam except Isa ibn Maryam and his mother. So none of all sons of Adam shall escape stab of the Satan other than them, even the apostles: Noah, Abraham and Moses and others, with their Seal Muhammad, upon whom and all Prophets be God’s benedictions. How wonderful is this hadith!347
Unsatisfied with all this, they narrated also that even the Prophet (S) could never escape the Satan’s prick, only after the stab's penetrating his heart. And that was through a surgical operation undertaken by the angels, using surgical instruments made of gold! According to these narrations, the chest of the Prophet (S) was rip open and the black leech was taken out! But unfortunately, the first operation might have failed, so his chest was rip again, and again for five times, four of which were unanimously accepted — as is said at the age of three, and ten, and at the time of his mission (mab’ath), and isra’, and for a fifth time about which there is dispute.348 It is said that the purpose behind reiterating the act of ripping is only to show more veneration for the Prophet!
This surgical operation resembles — in some aspects — the process of crucifying Jesus Christ (upon whom be peace), who never perpetrated any sin deserving such crucifixion. But they mentioned that so that God may forgive the guilt of Adam which is shouldered by him and his offspring till the Day of Resurrection, being a burden upon all of them. The Christian creed stipulates that this forgiveness can never be attained but only by that who has faith in the belief of crucifixion.
When the Muslims ask their brethren the Christians. Why doesn't Allah forgive Adam's sin through other than this harsh means, in which an innocent pure soul, of Jesus, was put to death, without any sin? It will be said 347. The Christians depended on this hadith to prove two of their doctrines, the first of which: All the human beings have fallen into trap of wrong and perpetrating of sins, except Jesus, the son of Mary, who had a higher rank than ordinary people. The second belief: Descension of Jesus the son of Mary from the heaven to the earth to judge among people and chastise them.
The Saint Ibrahim Louqa, in his book al-Masihiyyah fi al-Islam, after reffering to superiority of Jesus over all other mankind and his being competent to be infallible and immune against all sins, said: "In Surat Maryam it is said: "And (there is) ont one of you but shall go down unto it (hell); This is of thy Lord a decided (unavoidable) decree". This verse determines decisively that all human beings should enter the hell, we seek God's protection from it, and it is known that punishment can never afflich anyone but for a sin (he perpetrated), and otherwise it will be injusticef, and your Lord is not (in the least) unjust to (the) servants ... so this verse indicates that all human being are liable to be captivated by bestial passions and guilts. After this verse we can read another verse from Surat Al Imran: "... and lo! I commend her to Thy protection and also her offspring (i.e. the Messiah) from Satan the castway (accused)". Hence we come to know that Allah has safeguarded the Virgin Mary and the Christ against the seduction of the accursed Satan.
After citing this hadith, which contained these two realities - i.e. corruption of all human beings, and infallibility of Jesus alone - I cite here another hadith reported by al-Bukhari: "Every son of Adam when born is thrusted by Satan with his two fingers on the waist, except Jesus son of Mary, who when he (Satan) intended to thrust he thrusted the cover."
So acknowledgement of Islam that all the human beings have deviated and corrupted, and been devoid of 'ismah, liable to committing the sins and guilts, besides admitting 'ismah to be owned by Jesus Christ alone and his being immune against touch of Satan, it also elevates him to a rank superior to all people, admitting thus his glorified divinity. There are other narrations for this hadith, which can be seen in Fath al-Bari, vol.VI. In page 135 of this book he said that this hadith was reported by Abu Hurayrah.
What is surprising even more, Abu Hurayrah's declaring that he heard the two hadiths of al-Bukhari on Satan's thrusting and descending of Jesus from the Prophet, as he declared to have heard the hadith of God's creating the ground on Saturday, while the researchers proved that he reported it from Ka'b al-Ahbar. Thus our prolific narrator disseminates those traditions among people which constitute problems in our religion, and proof for our opponents with which they support their beliefs!!
In regard of the hadith on thrusting of Satan reported by al-Bukhari Ibn Hajar said in his Sharh: "The author of al-Kashhaf suspected the meaning of this hadith and refuted its veracity, beside al-Razi who vilified it saying: "This hadith is khabar al-wahid and cited in contravention to the established evidence.
348. See Sirat Ibn Hisham,Vol.I, pp.154-156.
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to them. Why didn't Allah create the heart of His Messenger whom He chose, like the hearts of other delegated prophets — while God knows better where to give His message — pure from the black leech and devil's luck without such an operation which tore his chest and heart recurringly.
By God, I can't imagine where they to go from what the Almighty Allah said in His holy Book, in Surat al-Hijr: "He said: "My Lord! because Thou hast left me to stray, certainly will I adorn unto them the path of error, and certainly will I cause them all to go astray. Save Thy (devoted) servants, of them the freed ones." Said He. "This is a right way unto Me. Verily, (as regards) My (devoted) servants, there is not for thee over them any authority except the one who followeth thee, of the deviators." (15-39-42). How can they repel the Book by the Sunnah, or object the mutawatir (hadith) that indicating certainty with ahad (unsuccessively narrated) traditions which never indicating but surmise?! That is in case of these traditions being correct.
But this hadith of the Satan's goading was refuted by al-Zamakhshari in his book al-Kashshaf, and also about it Fakhr al-Din al-Razi in his Tafsir349 said: "Al-Qadi confuted this report saying: it is khabar wahid that was cited opposite to the proof, so its refutation became inevitable. We said that it was opposite to the proof for several reasons. First: The Satan verily invites to evil that who discerns the good and evil, while any lad never does so!
Second: Had such prick been in the capacity of the Satan, he would have done worse than this. Such as destroying the upright people and corrupting their conditions.
Third: Why the exception singled out Mary and Jesus other than the other prophets (A)?
Fourth: Had this goading been reality there, its effect would have 349. See Vol.II, p.459.